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The KH-3A Fenghuang is a fixed-wing Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle used exclusively by Pacific CSAT forces in ArmA 3. It was added with the release of the Apex DLC.

Overview[]

  • Roles:
    • Observation
    • Laser targeting
    • Air-to-ground fire support
« The KH-3A Fenghuang is an unmanned aerial drone based on a Chinese design. The UAV adopts the unusual canard layout and is propelled by a pusher engine. This multipurpose drone is equipped with modern tracking and tracing systems, countermeasures and also carries four air-to-ground laser guided missiles.
Field Manual
»

Design[]

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This is a premium asset that requires ownership of the Apex expansion pack.

The KH-3A's airframe combines a traditional swept-wing design with that of forward mounted canards.

Armament
Its standard armament consists of four air-to-ground Jian infrared/laser-guided missiles fitted with high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warheads.

It can carry up to four of these missiles at a time and they are mounted onto the pylons beneath its wings (two on each). The KH-3A does not support dynamic loadouts.

Operators can also manually assume control of the KH-3A in order to force its AI to utilise the integrated laser designator, which can then be used to mark targets for its own ordnance or for friendly aircraft.

Arma3-fenghuang-00

Launching a salvo of Jian missiles. The KH-3A's small size allows it to easily blend into ground clutter and ambush unwary targets.

Features
A STOL aircraft by design, the KH-3A works well taking off and landing on short, bumpy landing strips or even open fields. Because of its small airframe, the KH-3A is also semi-stealthed against aircraft radars and can remain concealed from most anti-aircraft threats.

In addition, provided that the operator maintains a low enough flying height to blend into ground clutter, the KH-3A can observe targets for extended periods of time to avoid detection by enemy fighters.

Drawbacks
The KH-3A can only carry air-to-ground ATGMs. Combined with its complete lack of support for dynamic loadout functionality, it is unable to attack any ground targets other than armoured vehicles.

This lack of versatility greatly hampers its utility compared to both its larger and rotary-wing NATO counterparts, making it redundant not only against infantry but also against enemy jets/helicopters since Jian missiles cannot lock onto other aircraft (for obvious reasons).

Protection[]

The KH-3A has a base armour value of 50.

Hull[]

The hull can withstand up to 150 points of damage before its integrity fails. At least 50% of incoming damage is always shared with the drone's main "health" pool. It takes 500% increased damage from high-explosive (HE) type munitions.

Engine[]

The engine can only take a maximum of 75 points of damage. Up to 50% of damage will be shared with the drone's main "health" pool. The engine always takes 200% additional damage from HE-type munitions.

If damaged: Lowers engine power output.
If destroyed: Causes total power loss.

Fuel tank[]

The fuel tank can take 150 points of damage before it ruptures. At least 50% of incoming damage will be transferred to the drone's main "health" pool. It takes 400% additional damage from HE-type munitions.

If damaged: Causes fuel to gradually leak, up to 50% of the tank's current capacity.
If destroyed: Entire fuel tank will be depleted over several seconds.

Control surfaces[]

The drone's control surfaces consist of six components:

  • Ailerons (left/right)
  • Elevators (left/right)
  • Rudders (left/right)

All six components can resist 75 points of damage before failing (individually). Each component takes 300% increased damage from HE-type munitions.

Depending on which specific control surface is hit, the drone's handling and agility will be degraded based on the severity of component's damage.

Stealth[]

The KH-3A's small airframe automatically grants it semi-stealth capability in all aspects. On infrared, it is one of the most difficult aircraft to spot from afar even when it isn't flying above massed ground clutter:

RCS[]

The KH-3A has a radar cross-section rating of 0.5, lowering the maximum detection range of opposing radars by half (50%).

IR[]

The KH-3A has superb low-observability on the infrared spectrum, and can only be detected at 50% of an infrared-based sensor's range (factor of 0.5; reduction of 50%).

Visual[]

The KH-3A is 30% less visible to visual-based sensors, and can only be seen at 70% of the sensor's default range (factor of 0.7).

Sensors[]

The KH-3A's sensors are optimised for ground attack missions:

Sensor type Max range (Air/Ground) Min range (Air/Ground) Affected by environment? (%) Target max speed (km/h) Azimuth coverage (°) Elevation coverage (°) Friendly identification range (m)
Infrared A: 4,000 m
G: 3,000 m
A: 500 m
G: 500 m
Fog (0.005%) 180 km/h 51° 37° 2,000 m
Laser A: 6,000 m
G: 6,000 m
A: 6,000 m
G: 6,000 m
Nothing 1e+10 km/h 180° 180° 0 m
NV A: 6,000 m
G: 6,000 m
A: 6,000 m
G: 6,000 m
Nothing 1e+10 km/h 180° 180° 0 m
Passive A: 6,000 m
G: 6,000 m
A: 6,000 m
G: 6,000 m
Nothing 1e+10 km/h 360° 360° 12,000 m
Visual A: 3,000 m
G: 2,500 m
A: 500 m
G: 500 m
Fog/Light (6%) 180 km/h 51° 37° 2,000 m

Infrared Sensor[]

The KH-3A's IR Sensor is located in the targeting camera (represented by the red cone on the SENSORS panel). Although it is technically affected by heavy fog, the range reduction effect is so miniscule (-0.2 metre reduction) that it will be barely noticeable.

It should be noted that the IR Sensor has an elevation offset of -0.5 degrees.

Laser Sensor[]

The KH-3A's Laser Sensor is forward-facing only. Any designated targets will become visible on the drone's SENSORS panel only when drone is (mostly) facing in the direction of the laser spot.

NV Sensor[]

The KH-3A's NV Sensor is forward-facing only. Any IR grenades on the ground will only become visible on the SENSORS panel when the KH-3A is (mostly) facing in the direction of the grenade.

Passive Radar[]

The KH-3A's Passive Radar can detect Active Radar threats in any direction (regardless of the drone's facing direction). It is represented by the green circle on the SENSORS panel.

Visual Sensor[]

The KH-3A's Visual Sensor is located in the targeting camera (represented by the orange cone on the SENSORS panel). The Visual Sensor can be affected by heavy fog and can lose up to 6% of its range depending on its thickness. The Visual Sensor becomes completely blind at nighttime and very low-light conditions.

It should be noted that the Visual Sensor has an elevation offset of -0.5 degrees.

Armament[]

The KH-3A's "gunner" AI controls the mounted Jian air-to-ground missiles, all of which are attached onto its wing hardpoints. The AI's camera pod has access to three fields of view and can toggle a day, night or black-hot/white-hot thermal vision mode:

Jian[]

Arma3-vehicleweapons-kh3afenghuang-jian
Warhead Base damage value Proximity fuse radius (metres) Maximum speed (m/s)
Primary (HEAT) 150 N/A 320
Secondary (KE) 999 N/A N/A

Air-to-ground anti-tank guided missiles.

Primarily relies on the KH-3A's IR Sensor to function but can also lock-on via laser or manual (MCLOS) guidance instead. For the latter two, either the KH-3A's AI "gunner" must self-designate a target/rely on an external designation source, or the drone's operator must toggle the missile's live camera feed on their interface.

Jian missiles are soft launched and will only ignite 0.2 seconds after being fired with an initial velocity of 40 m/s. It takes their motors a further 6 seconds to reach a top speed of up to 320 m/s.

Its warhead is of a tandem high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) design. The explosive charge has a blast radius of 5 metres, while the kinetic submunition is launched with a velocity of 1,000 m/s and can penetrate up to 1,000 millimetres of vehicle armour. It is one of the most powerful AGMs; being easily capable of destroying MBTs like the MBT-52 Kuma or the T-140K Angara in a single hit.

The seeker can lock onto targets (infrared/laser) at a maximum distance of 8 km, though it is actually only capable of tracking at ranges of up to 6 km. For MCLOS, the missile can be fully controlled up to a maximum distance of 8 km.

It has a fixed lock-on cone of 30 degrees both vertically and horizontally but will only be able to lock onto targets moving at speeds of 126 km/h or less. The seeker has a 55% chance of losing lock to smoke countermeasures but if locking on via laser, then the seeker cannot be confused unless the laser spot is removed for whatever reason.

Trivia[]

  • The Fenghuang is based on the real-world "Rainbow" UCAV (more specifically the "CH-3A" variant[1]) developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).
  • Fenghuang (Traditional Chinese: 鳳凰, Simplified Chinese: 凤凰) translates to "Phoenix" in Mandarin. Likewise, its Jian air-to-ground missiles translates directly to "Sword" (Traditional Chinese: 劍, Simplified Chinese: 剑).
  • At release, destroying the Fenghuang would result in its wreckage visibly floating in mid-air upon crashing into the terrain or any hard surface. This was eventually rectified after the release of Game Update 1.72.[2]

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. Renping, Q et al. 2020, Rainbow CH-3 Rainbow Medium Range UAV, China Military Drone Alliance, viewed 2 February 2024, <http://web.archive.org/web/20201129021137/https://www.militarydrones.org.cn/ch-3-rainbow-uav-drone-china-price-manufacturer-p00096p1.html>. (archived link)
  2. Kovařič, V 2017, SPOTREP #00069, Arma 3, viewed 24 March 2023, <https://dev.arma3.com/post/spotrep-00069>.

External links[]

See also[]

Drones of comparable role and configuration[]

Vehicles of ArmA 3
Wheeled AFV-4 GorgonAMV-7 MarshallHatchbackHEMTTHunterIfritKartMB 4WDMSE-3 MaridOffroadProwlerQilinRhino MGS (UP) • StriderSUVTempestTractorTruckQuadbikeUGV StomperVanZamak (MRL)
Tracked 2S9 SochorAWC NyxBTR-K KamyshCRV-6e BobcatED-1D Mini UGV (ED-1E) • IFV-6a CheetahIFV-6c PantherFV-720 MoraM2A1 Slammer (A4 UP) • M4 ScorcherM5 SandstormMBT-52 KumaT-100 Varsuk (X Futura) • T-140 Angara (T-140K) • ZSU-39 Tigris
Rotor-wing AH-9 PawneeAH-99 BlackfootAR-2 DarterCH-49 MohawkCH-67 HuronDemining DroneMH-9 Hummingbird (M900) • Mi-48 KajmanMi-290 TaruMQ-12 FalconPO-30 OrcaUH-80 Ghost HawkUtility DroneWY-55 Hellcat
Fixed-wing A-143 BuzzardA-149 GryphonA-164 WipeoutCaesar BTTF/A-181 Black Wasp IIKH-3A FenghuangMQ-4A GreyhawkTo-199 NeophronTo-201 ShikraUCAV SentinelV-44X BlackfishY-32 Xi'an
Aquatic Assault BoatMotorboatRHIBSpeedboatSDVWater Scooter
(Parenthesis) denote variants.
Karts DLC | Helicopters DLC | Apex DLC | Jets DLC | Laws of War DLC | Tanks DLC | Contact DLC
Arma3-factionicon-csat CSAT - Vehicles (ArmA 3)
Wheeled IfritMSE-3 MaridQilinQuadbikeTempestUGV SaifZamak
Tracked 2S9 SochorAkinaka ED-1D (Sayyah ED-1E) • BTR-K KamyshT-100 Varsuk (X Futura) • T-140 Angara (T-140K) • ZSU-39 Tigris
Rotor-wing Jinaah AL-6Mi-48 KajmanMi-290 TaruPO-30 OrcaTayran AR-2
Fixed-wing K40 Abalil-3KH-3A FenghuangTo-199 NeophronTo-201 ShikraY-32 Xi'an
Aquatic Assault Boat (Rescue) • Speedboat HMGSDV
Parenthesis denote variants.
Helicopters DLC | Apex DLC | Jets DLC | Laws of War DLC | Tanks DLC | Contact DLC
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